Saute the onion with butter for 4-5 minutes in a medium-sized pot. Then add the flour, stir and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Pour in the hot water slowly, stirring constantly. Make sure the flour doesn't clump. Add in the washed and drained lentils, salt and cumin. Cook until the lentils are soft on medium heat. Stir occasionally. Taste it along the way and if necessary, add more salt or water. Pour the soup into your soup bowls with a ladle.

Mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Pour 1 tbsp of the sauce in each soup bowl.

13 Comments:

Merhaba Binnur,My husband and I just returned from our honeymoon in Turkiye and had a great time. Troy just fell in love with the soups. He had soup with each meal. We're trying the green lentil soup tonight. He especially like a vegetable soup that had small pieces of lemon zest in it. I wish I had a better description than that. Does it ring any bells?

I havent tried this soup yet,although i would like to make one:)And i was wondering if I have to use the whole cumin seeds or the ground ones?Unfortunately I have never tried the soup. The only one which Ive eaten was Yayla Corbasi, I liked the flavour of mint.greetings, Anne

I love this website, I live in Istanbul with my husband and have made many things from this website, which he has loved and says its like his mum's cooking- so thats a real compliment! Thank you for the hard work you put in to the site! I am english, but I just adore the turkish food. Anyway, I was wondering what would happen if you didnt put flour in this soup, like when I make kirmizi merçimek çorbası I dont put flour in and its fine, nice and thick. Wouldn't it be the same with this soup? I am trying to make it with less calories- on a diet! Thanks for any info, keep up the brilliant work! Becky Akyıldız- Istanbul

Hi Becky,Thank you:) Kirmizi mercimek doesn't need flour to give the thickness to the soup. Because the grain of kirmizi mercimek into small pieces. But when you cook yesil mercimek all the grains are retained in their original form. That's why you should add flour:)

You could take a portion out and blend it before adding it to your soup again. Thus thickening the soup without flour.Another method without flour but with the carbs would be adding grated potatoe to the soup. Both are neutral to the taste buds.

I am on official trip of Turkey (in Silivri) and in fact this is fist time I visited Turkey.

Before I came here, my friends and family were worried about my food as I am a pure vegetarian guy (no chicken as well) and once I tasted the Turkish vegeterian soups I fell in love with them...and I am asking waiter to repeat soup every time .. ;)

I am planning to make these soups at home and I need to know which flour you are using - Wheat, Corn or something else ? because in India we have many types of flours..

Hi Rahul,I use bleached all purpose flour (plain flour) which is a type of flour that is suitable for all kinds of recipes:)There are also so many vegetarian dishes to choose from Turkish cuisine:) Enjoy your trip in Türkiye!

I'm now living in Singapore but was living in Turkiye for the last 2 years. Yesil mercimek corbasi is my favourite and even fits with my new diet restrictions (although I had to substitute the flour with a quinoa flour because I'm not allowed regular grains). Thanks so much for the EASY to follow and delicious recipe, makes Singapore feel like it's not so far from home. Tesekkuler!